


we are the earth and sky

by dreamsofolicity



Series: Olicity Hiatus Fics [4]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Island, Bratva Oliver Queen, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Italian Mafia, Language, Russian Mafia, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2018-11-17 04:19:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11267805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamsofolicity/pseuds/dreamsofolicity
Summary: When Oliver Queen meets a mysterious, engaging woman in his club late one night, he is captivated by her but doesn't realize her true identity until the next morning when she is introduced as Felicity Smoak, the daughter of a rival mafia boss that has recently made a deal with the Bratva. Felicity and Oliver become a part of each other's lives against their will and are told that they will work together for the sake of their families. What starts as a rocky antagonism slowly turns into something much different as they spend more and more time together.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I definitely shouldn't be starting another WIP but I can't seem to control myself. This first chapter is my fill for the fourth prompt of the Olicity Hiatus Fic-A-Thon: At Odds.
> 
> Title: Keep the Faith (It's Only You and Me) - of Verona
> 
> I love receiving comments and they really encourage me to write more so we all win if you leave even the smallest message. Thank you to everyone who does in advance. You really make me so happy.
> 
> Felicity's Outfits (because I'm a visual person and you might be interested in what I see in my head):
> 
> [Verdant](https://urstyle.com/styles/1847343) // [Queen Manor](https://urstyle.com/styles/1859607)

Oliver Queen could rarely be surprised by anything anymore. There were three facets of his life. Oliver Queen the CEO of a high profile company, Oliver Queen the owner of an infamous nightclub, and Oliver Queen the captain in the Solntsevskaya Bratva. None of these men could afford to be surprised. Letting his guard down meant losing his company, losing his club, or losing his life. Oliver was fairly protective of what was his, especially his life and his family’s legacy. So he learned to anticipate things and learned not to let people take him by surprise. Even his sister couldn’t plan a birthday party without him figuring it out fairly early on, much to her annoyance.

So the sight of a blonde woman in the middle of the dance floor at his club really shouldn’t have caused him to stop and stare from where he was standing in the upper level VIP section. Yet somehow, she gave him pause and everything else seemed to fade away but her. Everything about her screamed new, from the softness of her hair to the roundness of her eyes and the way her hand fiddled with the strap of her purse. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth as she looked around, visibly deflating at whatever she saw or didn’t see.

“Oliver, you okay man?” Tommy asked, reminding him that he was in the middle of a conversation when he caught sight of her.

His eyes followed Oliver’s gaze and landed on the woman as well.

“I’ve never seen her before,” Tommy said, tilting his head to the side. “She’s different.”

It was the truth. She stood out from every single other person in the club. The charming floral dress that she wore was far removed from the general style of clothing around her. The way she shuffled through the crowd towards the bar made her look slightly awkward, making it clear that she felt as out of place as she looked. Oliver could see her shoulders hunch as she tried and failed to catch the attention of the bartender. She was probably about two minutes away from leaving entirely. So he had to decide quickly, and decide he did.

“I’ll be right back.” Oliver said, clapping Tommy’s shoulder before walking away.

Diggle was posted at the top of the stairs.

“Should I come with you, sir?” he asked, keeping up appearances.

“I’m just going to get a drink,” Oliver said with a shake of his head before making his way down as he buttoned his suit jacket.

She was still there, her arms crossed atop the bar and her foot tapping at the floor as she waited with a forlorn expression. Oliver only had to step up to the bar next to her, something that she didn’t even notice. Charlie the bartender was there in an instant.

“Something I can get for you, Mr. Queen?” he asked, wiping his hands on a towel with a rapt expression.

“Another scotch for me and this lady’s drink of choice,” he said, looking over at her.

She blinked several times, taking a while to realize that they were were looking at her.

“Oh, me?” she said, pointing a finger at her chest as she straightened up.

Her blue eyes darted between Oliver and Charlie as if she was trying to wrap her head around the situation.

“What would you like?” Oliver asked.

“A glass of red,” she said.

“Get her something from my stash,” Oliver said, knowing that Charlie wouldn’t charge her for it.

She was still staring at him with a slightly open mouth when the bartender disappeared to get their drinks.

“I’m Oliver,” he said.

“Queen,” she blurted, looking alarmed. “Oliver Queen. You told him to get something from your stash. Because you own this place. Not that you need me to tell you that. Obviously you know that you own it. You’re Oliver Queen. You probably know that too. I’m just going to stop talking… forever.”

She looked pained at her rush of words. Oliver felt amused, which wasn’t something he was used to nowadays. This was the second time she’d surprised him in the last five minutes.

“I hope you tell me your name before you commit to this vow of silence,” he said.

“Megan,” she said weakly, reaching out to shake his hand.

The gesture was as charming as her dress. She was a mystery to him.

“You looked upset, Megan,” Oliver said.

“I think I got stood up,” she said solemnly before sweeping her hand over her dress. “Probably because I’m the kind of girl who shows up to a nightclub dressed like this. It’s no wonder the guy bailed, right?”

“The guy’s an idiot,” Oliver said.

Her cheeks filled with color as she stared at him, clearly trying to figure him out.

“I don’t know,” Megan said, finally looking away to scan the crowd. “I kinda stand out.”

“In a good way,” Oliver assured her just as Charlie returned with their drinks.

She beamed at him, bringing a small smile to his own face as he handed her wine over to her.

“You are quite the charmer, Mr. Queen,” Megan said, ducking her head shyly.

“Please, call me Oliver.”

She looked up into his eyes again, indecision in her own.

“Surely you have better places to be than talking to some pathetic girl at your bar.”

“I can’t think of any,” Oliver said, knowing that Tommy would have thumped his back proudly if he heard the smoothness of that line.

It was a remnant of a man that no longer existed, the twenty-two year old who would have loved nothing more than to party all night at a club that was all his own. He watched as she took a slow drink of the wine, clearly savoring the taste before stepping closer to him.

“I think someone is watching us,” she whispered, nodding over his shoulder.

Oliver didn’t have to look around to know that it was Dig checking up on him but he did so anyway to put her at ease.

“That’s my bodyguard,” he said, facing her again.

“Oh,” she relaxed, looking slightly relieved. “I was afraid that I was going to have to defend your virtue or something.”

Oliver looked at her with surprise as she smiled cheekily.

“ _My_ virtue?” he asked.

She nodded several times.

“My heels could make for pretty good weapons but the straps aren’t all that easy to get undone in a fighting situation. I’ve never thrown a punch but I might be good at it, who knows?”

“I can see you being pretty scrappy in a fight,” he said, giving her a onceover.

“I wouldn’t take me on,” Megan said with a confident shrug before laughing aloud.

He couldn’t help but smile again as he studied her. She seemed to exude warmth, something that was severely lacking in his life. It was no wonder that he was drawn to her.

“Would you like to join me in the VIP area, Megan?” Oliver asked.

Her lips parted in surprise.

“I’m allowed up there?” she asked.

“Yeah I have connections to the boss,” Oliver reminded her.

Megan nodded, looking embarrassed that she’d asked.

“I’d love to see it, if only to inwardly punch my fist in victory over the irony that the guy who stood me up might actually be having a worse night than me right now,” she said, letting him guide her to the stairs.

“I find that doing things in out of spite can be fun sometimes,” Oliver agreed.

“You understand me,” Megan said approvingly.

Her eyes flickered to Diggle again and he saw a hint of apprehension just before she started climbing the stairs ahead of him. By the time he made it up behind her, she was staring around at the plush seating and private bar with wide eyes.

“So this is what the other side of the velvet ropes looks like,” she said, looking awed. “Metaphorically, of course. Real velvet ropes wouldn’t really go with the aesthetic you have going on.”

Oliver watched as she made her way further in, looking self-conscious as the looks they earned from the other people in the small area. Tommy caught his eye and nodded approvingly, mimicking a fist bump to the air before turning away to talk to Laurel.

“Were you up here before?” Megan asked, turning to face him.

He nodded and she gave him a strange look.

“So why’d you come down there to order a drink from the peasant’s bar?” she asked, partly teasing and partly curious.

“Well you see, I saw this girl in a floral dress…” Oliver said, guiding her to one of the empty couches.

“Very smooth,” Megan said with a laugh, sitting carefully so that she didn’t spill her wine. “I guess I’m getting the complete Oliver Queen treatment.”

He swallowed a good amount of scotch before speaking again.

“You must be from Starling City,” Oliver said.

“What makes you say that?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

“You seem well-versed in my unfortunate reputation.”

She faltered, clearly realizing that she hit a nerve.

“I’m sorry,” Megan said, reaching out to brush her fingers over the back of his hand before pulling away just as quickly with a flush in her cheeks. “I didn’t mean anything by that. I get nervous sometimes and words just come out. I wish that I could say that I have control over what I say but twenty-three years of talking really hasn’t proven that.”

“Megan,” Oliver said, cutting her off as she took a deep breath. “It’s okay. I know what people think of me and it doesn’t bother me. I know the kind of man that I am now. That’s all that matters.”

She blinked at him before opening her mouth hesitantly.

“That’s _all_ that matters?”

Oliver realized what she was saying and shook his head.

“I do like when people give me a chance to show them who I am,” he said, reaching out to skim his thumb over the back of her hand.

She leaned into him, nodding her head.

“I like to give people chances,” Megan said, her eyes wide and earnest. “I’m a chance-giver. Plus I really like it when someone else talks because it makes me shut up for a while which is always a good thing.”

“I think I like it when you talk,” Oliver decided.

A smile took over her face, making it brighten once more. Yes, she was definitely a surprise. Despite his feelings about surprises, Oliver didn’t mind it at all.

“So, are you from Starling City?” he asked.

“Not originally,” she said, shaking her head. “I moved here for a job after I graduated college. It’s sort of close to home but far enough away that I can get away with only going for holidays.”

“Christmas?” Oliver said.

“I’m Jewish,” Megan corrected him quickly before looking surprised herself, as if she didn’t mean to reveal that particular detail about herself.

Oliver pressed on, asking about her job. They fell into comfortable conversation with ease. It was strange and new all at once. He hadn’t had anything like this in a very long time. He didn’t know how much time passed before Diggle tapped him on the shoulder.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Queen,” he said, sending an apologetic look Megan’s way before continuing. “You have that meeting at eight and you asked me to make sure you get out of here in time to catch a few hours of sleep.”

“Oh frack,” Megan said before Oliver could reply, pulling her phone out to look at the time. “It’s two in the morning. I should be home already.”

“I’m sorry for keeping you,” Oliver said, standing up with her.

She shook her head, smiling up at him.

“I’m not,” Megan assured him, stowing her phone away just to pull out her keys. “But I have an early meeting too so I should really be going or else I’m going to look like a zombie when I get there.”

Before Oliver could say anything else, she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“I really enjoyed myself,” she said, backing away towards the stairs.

“I did too,” he said, nodding at her.

She grinned, waving goodbye before turning to hurry down the stairs and across the club to the exit.

“I haven’t seen you that relaxed in years,” Dig said, bringing him back down to earth.

“She’s different,” Oliver said, closing his hands around the railing as he watched her go. “It’s nice.”

“Oliver I don’t think I have to warn you not to get too caught up in it right now,” Dig said, though the warning was clear in his voice anyway. “The Russians are coming tomorrow and they won’t be happy if you’re distracted.”

Oliver sighed, remembering the details of his early meeting.

“I won’t be,” he said, pushing off of the railing and turning away. “Let’s get home.”

* * *

The meeting with the visiting Russians was taking place at Oliver’s house rather than at Queen Consolidated. He liked to keep Bratva business far away from his legitimate job, knowing that mixing the two would cause more trouble than it was worth. Luckily the brotherhood agreed, wanting him to maintain the persona of Oliver Queen rather than shedding all aspects of his past life as many men were encouraged to do once they entered the fold. As Raisa led them into the parlor where he decided to hold the meeting, he greeted them one by one before getting to the one he knew the best.

“Anatoli,” Oliver said, choosing an embrace over a handshake.

His old friend returned it enthusiastically.

“My favorite American,” Anatoli crowed happily in Russian before kissing both of his cheeks. “It has been too long.”

“It has,” Oliver nodded in agreement, switching to the other language as well. “I thought we were meeting with new friends.”

Anatoli sighed, nodding at everyone else to sit down before doing so himself as he continued in English.

“We are. But there is a little problem with the plan. The leader of the other family was meant to come to Starling City to begin the new understanding. Instead he sent a representative.”

“A representative?” Oliver said, his eyebrows raising.

This wasn’t a great start to their new deal with the Las Vegas family of the Italian-American mafia. If the boss couldn’t come out to meet with two captains, how could they trust him to stick to the terms of the deal?

“Apparently she is remaining in Starling City to establish a close connection with Bratva,” Anatoli said.

“She,” Oliver said, feeling somewhat like a parrot repeating all of these words.

He was beginning to reconsider his new stance on surprises. This was definitely far from welcome. He had half a mind to get on the phone with their new partner and make it clear that there wouldn’t be a deal without his presence in Starling City. But as much as Oliver would love to tear into the man, it wasn’t his place. Ishmael Gregor negotiated the new deal and he would be less than pleased if it fell through.

“She is a firecracker, that one. You are going to have your hands full, Oliver,” Anatoli warned him as Raisa brought a tray of drinks for them.

“She’s here?” Oliver asked.

Anatoli nodded before thanking Raisa in Russian.

“I thought it better for her and the others to wait until you heard the news. She is the boss’s daughter herself. Ishmael did not think it is much different having her here. In fact, it might even be better to have something to hold against this Las Vegas man in case he starts to think of backing out.”

Oliver nodded along, looking up at Raisa.

“Can you bring our other guests in here, please?” he asked.

“Of course, Mister Oliver,” Raisa nodded, leaving the room.

“Come, speak with me,” Anatoli said, giving his guards a look that told them to remain sitting as they walked to the floor to ceiling windows.

Oliver followed him, sipping on his glass of water as he went.

“You should be careful, my friend,” Anatoli warned him, looking out at the grounds. “This woman is young and quite beautiful but she is also very smart. I can sense that she may be trouble if you do not watch her. These Italians cannot forget that it is the Bratva who is helping them, not the other way around.”

Oliver nodded, feeling tenser than ever.

“What will she do while she’s here?” he asked.

“I have been told that she will be a valuable asset to your family company, should you wish to use her. Other than that, she apparently has her own means of amusing herself.”

Oliver highly doubted that he would trust any member of another family to be anywhere near his company. As he heard the others approaching, he turned to greet them. It was in that moment that he found himself very unpleasantly surprised by the entrance of a very familiar woman. Her soft hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wore a formfitting coral dress with a white purse tucked into her elbow and a cool, confident look upon her face. She wore glasses now, which suited her. Quite unlike the confusion and anger that Oliver could feel stirring in his gut, she didn’t look at all surprised to see him there. His hand clenched around his glass tightly as Anatoli stepped forward, welcoming them boisterously as he did.

“Oliver, I want you to meet our new partners,” he said as if he hadn’t been warning him about them mere moments ago.

“Mr. Queen,” the woman said, stepping forward with her hand held out far more confidently than she had done last night. “Felicity Smoak.”

He stared at her for several long seconds before taking her hand to shake it once before releasing it as if it burned him.

“Felicity,” he repeated.

Her eyes flashed with something before she stepped away.

“This is my father’s associate, Milo Armitage,” she said, introducing the bald man next to her. “He only escorted me to Starling City to ensure that I settled without issue. He’ll be going back to rejoin my father in Nevada tomorrow.”

Oliver looked away from her for only a moment to greet the other man.

“I hope that the city welcomes you with open arms,” Anatoli said, smiling at her.

“I’m sure it will,” Felicity said with a smile, folding her arms in front of her. “As it happens, I explored some of what the city has to offer last night. I enjoyed myself quite a lot.”

“That is very good,” his fellow captain said with a nod.

Oliver, however, burned with anger at her allusion to their first meeting. What right did she have to trick him one night and then walk into his house with her head held high as if she did nothing wrong? As if she sensed his rage, Felicity turned away and watched quietly as Anatoli and Mr. Armitage conversed. A few minutes passed as he stared at her profile before he finally spoke again.

“Could Miss Smoak and I have the room?” Oliver asked, taking everyone else, including Felicity, by surprise.

“Of course. You two are going to be spending quite a bit of time in each other’s company,” Anatoli said with a nod. “You should start getting comfortable now.”

Oliver highly doubted that was going to happen but he wasn’t willing to wait much longer to confront her. To her credit, she kept her face neutral as everyone else left, stepping away from him to peer out of the windows. He remained rooted to the spot, watching her as his hands curled into fists. Several long moments of silence passed before he finally spoke.

“You’re a good actress,” Oliver said through gritted teeth.

A shadow of a smile formed on her face but she didn’t look at him.

“Don’t give me all the credit. You’re quite the actor yourself,” Felicity said, leaning forward to look down at the gardens. “All those smooth lines you used were quite impressive.”

“At least I gave you my real name,” Oliver said tightly.

“So did I,” Felicity said, setting her purse down on a table to her right. “Felicity Megan Smoak.”

“And your little story? Getting stood up?”

She shrugged one shoulder, turning to study the room.

“Did you really think that I’d come into this situation without getting a feel for who I’d be dealing with?” Felicity asked.

“And who am I dealing with?” Oliver demanded, stepping towards her.

She finally met his hostile gaze though she didn’t flinch away from him. He might have been impressed if he wasn’t so furious.

“The daughter of your enemy,” Felicity said plainly.

“I thought our families were partners,” he said.

She narrowed her eyes at him, finally losing that cool indifference.

“You were initiated into your family,” Felicity said, stepping towards him. “You chose to be a part of your brotherhood. I was born into mine.”

Oliver clenched his hands into tight fists, closing the rest of the distance between them.

“Don’t talk about what you don’t understand,” he growled as she tilted her head back to meet his eyes.

Even in her heels she was shorter than him but she didn’t seem intimidated by the height difference.

“I don’t appreciate being tricked, Miss Smoak,” Oliver said in a low voice.

“Then maybe you shouldn’t make it so easy to trick you, Mr. Queen,” Felicity answered, nearly smiling at the confusion that passed over his face. “You came walking up to me, remember? All I did was show up and you did the rest. You can hardly blame me entirely.”

He shook his head, not buying her words for a second.

“You knew that I would come to you,” Oliver said.

“I _hoped_ ,” Felicity corrected him, holding a finger up. “There’s a difference.”

“Did you say anything that was truthful last night?”

“I am Jewish,” she said, moving away from him. “And I graduated from college three years ago. So technically, I did move to Starling City after that and I did come here for a job.”

Oliver caught her arm before she could go far, tugging her back towards him.

“Don’t ever do anything like that again,” he whispered, making the threat clear in his voice.

She lifted her head and looked him in the eyes, anger finally filling hers as she pulled her arm from his hold.

“Do you think that I wanted to be here?” Felicity asked heatedly, stepping closer until they were mere inches apart. “I had no choice. My father told me that I had to pick up my life to be some sort of collateral for this deal that _he_ needed. You have your company. You have your club. You have your life. I have nothing here. I trust no one. So yes, I came to your club and I pretended to be someone I wasn’t to get information because that is what I have to do to survive. I will do whatever it takes to protect myself. You will not intimidate me into being a complacent pawn in this game that I never wanted to be a part of. If my father couldn’t do it, you certainly have no hope.”

With that, she stepped away from him and snatched up her purse, walking towards the doorway. Oliver watched her go, taking deep breaths to calm his anger as her words repeated over and over again in his mind. When she paused, he anticipated another heated remark thrown his way. Instead, she turned back with that neutral look on her face once more.

“I look forward to working with you, Mr. Queen,” Felicity said, surprisingly amicable.

“Do you?” he said, doubt in his voice.

With a slight smile on her face, she took a step backwards.

“We certainly won’t be bored.”

Oliver watched her walk away, shaking his head as he tried to wrap his mind around everything that had changed in the past several minutes. She was right. This situation would likely be the opposite of boring. Oliver just didn’t know what to expect from the woman who managed to make him feel so at ease one night and so furious the next day. Going forward with this partnership would be interesting as Felicity Smoak settled in his city. If it wasn’t for her trickery, he might have felt regret over being at odds with her. But she did trick him and he had no intention of forgiving that anytime soon despite her somewhat legitimate reasons for doing so.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that it's been forever since I've posted this but I promise I will try my best to get it going. I have a lot planned for this fic so hopefully I can get there with all of it.
> 
> I am envisioning Felicity's friend, Genevieve Amado, as Lindsey Morgan in case you want to know.
> 
> Felicity's Outfits: [At Felicity's Apartment](https://urstyle.com/styles/1859609) | [At S.T.A.R Labs](https://urstyle.com/styles/1860152) | [At the Restaurant](https://urstyle.com/styles/1860156)

Starling City was nothing like Felicity expected. Las Vegas was dripping with crime and corruption. A man like her father fit perfectly there. But the city she now called home was nothing like that. From the outside, it was perfectly normal. Felicity knew for a fact that it had a hidden darkness. It was just harder to find. And Oliver Queen? He was as much of a mystery as his city. One that, for once in her life, Felicity had no desire to solve. He was dangerous. That was enough for her.

It was nearly laughable to think that she’d walked into his house ready to apologize for her deceit. He was nothing but kind to her at his club and Felicity was feeling a fair amount of guilt over tricking him, even if it was for her own safety and comfort. Then he acted like a complete asshole and all thoughts of apologizing flew from her mind. Either the nice guy act was just that, an act, or the fact that she fooled him made him so angry that he turned into a completely different person. It didn’t matter, though, because Felicity was ready to put him out of her mind. If she had it her way, she’d never see him again.

So of course he would show up on her first night in her new apartment.

The knock came on her door a little bit before ten. Felicity was unpacking a box of books into the little shelving unit that sat in the corner of her living room. She moved quickly at the sound of someone at the door, her deeply ingrained habits kicking in. She pulled the small handgun from her purse and approached the door slowly, peering into the peephole. She froze when she saw Oliver there, her hand tightening on the grip of the gun. Felicity briefly wondered if she could get away with ignoring him completely when he spoke.

“I know you’re there,” he said casually.

Felicity flinched, pressing her lips together in a thin line. What right did he have to show up at her door and expect to be let in? Damn him and his stupidly attractive face. He could go right back the way he came. Felicity was ready to turn her back on him when he spoke again.

“We need to talk.”

With a heavy sigh and the creeping feeling that he wouldn’t leave, she reconsidered. There were very few things that she knew about him but his stubbornness was fairly clear. This was the exact wrong kind of attention she wanted to attract from her neighbors. If anyone of them saw Oliver Queen standing outside of her door, it would ruin her plan of flying under the radar for the duration of her stay in Starling City. Finally reaching out, she unlocked the door and opened it just enough for him to walk in, standing on the other side with a scowl. Oliver glanced over at her as soon as she was visible, his eyes scanning her slowly only to zero in on the gun still clutched in her hand. He looked almost amused at the sight of it, which frustrated her even more.

“If I wanted you dead, Miss Smoak, you would be dead,” he said.

“You really think you’re the only one who might want my head on a platter? Do you realize how many enemies my father has made?” Felicity asked coldly, closing and locking the door.

“You won’t have to worry about them,” Oliver said confidently.

She let out a humorless laugh, shaking her head.

“You say that as if you expect me to trust in your protection,” Felicity said.

“That is exactly what I expect. You’re in my city.”

It sounded like both a warning and a reassurance. Felicity still didn’t know what to make of it or him. Brushing past, she didn’t bother to offer him a glass of water or a cookie. As far as she was concerned, he could say what he had to say and get out. The longer he was in her apartment, the less safe she’d feel in it.

“I don’t remember giving you my address,” she said, slipping the gun back into her purse before turning to face him.

Oliver’s eyebrow lifted slowly as if to ask her if she was really that naive. She wasn’t. Felicity knew exactly what this was. A reminder that she was in enemy territory and he could probably find her wherever she went.

“What do we need to talk about?” she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

“What you’re going to do while you’re in Starling City,” Oliver said.

Felicity was taken back by that. She was there. Why did he care what she did? It wasn’t really any of his concern. Oliver seemed to know exactly what she was thinking.

“My image in this city is very carefully cultivated. I am a public figure and since you’re going to be seen with me-”

“I’m sorry, what?” she cut him off.

He fell silent, waiting to hear what part of his sentence that she was objecting to.

“I’m going to be seen with you? Since when?” Felicity asked.

Oliver stared at her for a few seconds before the corner of his lips lifted slightly. It wasn’t a comforting, warm smile like she’d received at Verdant when he didn’t know who she was. It was triumphant, clearly telling her that he knew something she did not. Pulling his phone out of his jacket pocket, he unlocked it and tapped on the screen a few times before holding it out to her. Felicity peered at the image for several long moments as her mind tried to process exactly what she was looking at. Then it hit her like a brick over the head. It was taken in Verdant a few nights ago. They were standing at the bar, clearly deep in conversation.

“Scroll to the right,” Oliver said.

Felicity did just that, spotting a picture of her smiling at him. Then another with him guiding her towards the stairs that led to the VIP section, a hand hovering over her back. The last was a picture of them climbing up, Oliver’s eyes fixed on her as she took the lead.

“Like I said, I’m a public figure,” Oliver said as she handed the phone back over to him. “And this is all over every single gossip site. You’re recognizable now, Miss Smoak.”

“Thank you for that,” she said, a bitter edge to her voice.

The smile slipped from his face and she quickly realized that he felt about happy about the pictures as she did.

“I still don’t understand why this means I need to be seen with you. Don’t you have a reputation, Mr. Queen? I can be just another one of the poor, unfortunate notches on your bedpost,” Felicity suggested, folding her arms over her chest.

“Five years ago, that might have worked. Unfortunately, my reputation has changed and as dozens of witnesses can attest, I walked up to you,” he said, sounding angry at his past self for doing so. “And if we don’t give them a story, they start digging for one. That’s the last thing that either of us want.”

With a sardonic twist of her lips, Felicity felt the slightest bit of triumph over him now.

“Just couldn’t resist the girl in a pretty floral dress,” she said, shaking her head.

Oliver narrowed his eyes at her but he didn’t rise to the bait.

“My sister and I are having dinner at The Palm tomorrow night at eight. I want you to come and meet her. You’ll need to be familiar with one another if we’re going to make this work.”

Felicity’s eyes widened ever-so-slightly as she realized exactly what charade he was suggesting.

“I am not dating you,” she refused.

Oliver raised one eyebrow at her.

“This is beneficial to the both of us, Miss Smoak,” he said.

“I highly doubt that,” she snapped, resisting the urge to shove him towards the door.

Though she doubted that she could have pushed him much further than a few inches, considering the wall of muscle that he seemed to be.

“You can either pretend to date me or pretend to work for me. It’s your choice,” Oliver offered before turning to walk towards her door all on his own.

She sighed heavily, dropping her arms.

“Why can’t you just say that I’m an old friend from school?” Felicity demanded.

He turned back to face her just as he reached the door, looking her up and down.

“No one would believe it,” Oliver said simply before walking out.

As the door slammed shut behind him, she let out a frustrated noise and kicked a nearby box before sinking onto her couch with her face buried in her hands. Felicity knew that her father needed this deal with the Bratva. She just wished that she could go back in time and strangle him a little before he decided to put her directly in the middle of it.

* * *

S.T.A.R. Labs was everything that she expected and more. Felicity stared around the lobby alone with wide eyes, envy and resentment rising in her. She could have done this. She could have been one of the many employees going about their days without a care for the darker part of the world. Instead her father decided to claim her, putting her in this position.

“As I live and breathe,” a voice came from behind her, the source of it clearly smiling. “Felicity Smoak lives.”

Felicity couldn’t help but grin as well, turning around to face her closest friend from college. Genevieve Amado was the only person she’d ever given some insight into her past and Felicity was determined to keep it that way. If she was pushed to admit it, which she never would if only to keep her safe, Felicity would name Genevieve as the only person in the world that she truly trusted.

“Alive and well, all in one piece,” she said, turning in a circle slowly so that she could be inspected.

Genevieve nodded approvingly before gathering Felicity into one of the hugs that she’d missed so much. The only good thing about her unwilling relocation to Starling City was the fact that she was living near this woman again.

“This place is amazing,” Felicity said, looking around.

“It’s great,” Gen gushed happily, hooking her arm through Felicity’s. “I mean it’s nothing compared to the Central City location but it’s still state of the art and all that. So when are you coming to work here?”

With a shake of her head, Felicity reached into her purse to pull out her phone.

“Oh look,” she said, reading the time. “It took you all of thirty-seven seconds.”

Genevieve didn’t look even close to ashamed as she led Felicity to the elevators.

“There’s an entire floor filled with nothing but the latest in our technology. Gadgets and systems and circuit boards galore that you could do nothing but tinker with all day long.”

“Did I come here to see my best friend or attend an interview?” Felicity wondered.

“What is stopping you?” Genevieve said, exasperated at her lack of enthusiasm.

Felicity’s good mood darkened slightly as they walked onto the elevator.

“You know what,” she said quietly.

Her friend let out a heavy sigh.

“I hoped that you coming here meant that you got away from all that,” Genevieve admitted, squeezing her arm with comfort.

Felicity shook her head, keeping her emotions buried deep.

“I’m even deeper, I think,” she admitted, barely preventing her voice from wavering.

Gen looked over at her with concern.

“Is that why there are pictures of you with Oliver Queen all over the internet?” she asked.

Felicity’s cheeks colored slightly at the reminder. She’d hoped that those had gone unnoticed by apparently her luck wasn’t that good. Then she realized what Gen was asking and quickly shook her head, meeting her gaze.

“He’s got nothing to do with any of that,” she lied.

Oliver was a dangerous man. Felicity didn’t really know how dangerous but she wasn’t willing to let her friend get anywhere near the situation, which Genevieve definitely would if she thought that Felicity was in danger. She hadn’t lied to her in a long time but it was necessary in this situation. Felicity hated how good she was at it. As Genevieve’s eyebrows shot up, she knew exactly where her mind would go next.

“So you were flirting with Oliver Queen in his nightclub? In the VIP section, no less?” Genevieve asked, a smile growing on her lips.

“We were _talking_ ,” Felicity corrected her, looking away as her cheeks reddened even more.

Genevieve hummed doubtfully just as they walked out of the elevator. While Felicity got her masters in Cyber Security and Computer Sciences, Genevieve graduated with her own masters in Integrated Design and Management. A lot of the new engineering designs coming out of the Starling City branch of S.T.A.R. Labs were largely from Genevieve and her team. Seeing their work space stretched out before her brought the feelings of envy rushing back.

“I hate you so much right now,” she said, admiring every single thing as they passed.

Genevieve grinned at her before launching into a quick tour of the floor, ending up in her office. It was decorated in cool colors, greys and whites mostly, with a very modern style to the furniture. It definitely fit within the aesthetic of the innovative building.

“So a few of my colleagues are going to go to Poison tonight for some fun,” Genevieve said, kicking off her shoes before dropping onto the slate grey leather couch on one wall of her office. “I know it’s no Verdant but you should come.”

Felicity sank down onto the other end, dropping her purse to the floor. Inwardly cursing Oliver Queen, she gave her friend an apologetic smile.

“I would love to, Gen. But I kind of have plans tonight,” she said regretfully, tucked one of her legs underneath her as she leaned back against the cushions. “I would definitely cancel if I could.”

“Three days in Starling City and you’re already making plans,” Genevieve said, laughing once before she sobered. “Does it have to do with your dad?”

Felicity shook her head, lying to her for the second time.

“I’m meeting someone for dinner,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Genevieve looked at her suspiciously for all the wrong reasons.

“Is that _someone_ a billionaire CEO with a painfully perfect face and entire collection of cars, each of which cost more than my condo?” she asked.

Felicity didn’t answer, pressing her lips together.

“You are kidding me! Three days in Starling City and you’re making plans with Oliver Queen _._ I hate _you_ now!”

Genevieve said all of this with a delighted look on her face. Felicity wanted more than anything to tell her how Oliver truly was the opposite of desirable. Instead she kept her mouth shut and shrugged once.

“Well then you definitely owe me,” Gen said, crossing her arms over her chest. “We’re going out this weekend and you have to tell me everything. All the sordid details. No holding back.”

Felicity shook her head with a slight smile.

“You assume that there are going to be sordid details,” she said, knowing damn well that there wouldn’t be.

That earned her a look.

“It’s Oliver Queen, Fe. There will be sordid details,” Genevieve said.

“Not tonight there won’t. It’s dinner with him and his sister,” Felicity said.

Her jaw dropped.

“You’re already meeting his sister?”

“It’s not a big deal,” Felicity said with a shrug.

“She’s the only family he’s got. I’d say it’s a pretty big deal,” Genevieve said.

Felicity shrugged again, at a loss for what else to do.

“It’s really not,” she said, searching her mind for a reason. “I’m going to help out with some of the system issues that he’s having at Verdant. Thea helps him manage a few different aspects of the club and he thought it would be good for us to meet since I may have to communicate with her. He’s really busy with Queen Consolidated so he can’t direct everything to do with the club.”

It was a pretty good story to come up with right on the spot. If only Genevieve looked even slightly fooled.

“Details. They are going to be spilled,” she said, pointing at her with a firm expression.

Felicity couldn’t help but smile, shaking her head.

“Do you know what you’re wearing already?” Genevieve asked, propping her arm up on the back of the couch.

“Oh yes,” she said, already feeling triumphant. “I have it all planned out.”

* * *

Felicity could see the annoyance in Oliver’s eyes as the hostess led her to the table where two out of three seats were already taken. He rose to his feet anyway, stepping close to her once she reached them.

“You could have tried to look a little less like you’re going to a funeral,” Oliver whispered as he leaned in to brush a kiss over her cheek.

She stiffened a little, forcing herself not to concentrate on the softness of his lips.

“I’m mourning my dignity,” she hissed back before pasting a smile on her face as he leaned away.

“You must be Felicity,” Thea Queen said, standing to shake her hand just as Oliver pulled her chair out. “The pictures really don’t do you justice.”

Felicity’s cheeks colored at the reminder of why she was there at all but she tried to keep her tone pleasant as she sat.

“I don’t think that the photographer was trying to catch my good side,” she joked.

“They never do,” Thea said with a roll of her eyes that spoke of years of dealing with nosy people who had nothing better to do than poke into the lives of others.

Oliver took his seat last, folding a napkin over his lap with a neutral look on his face. Before they could say anything else, the waiter walked up to them with a wine list that Felicity quickly perused.

“We can order a bottle for the table,” Thea suggested.

“You’re nineteen,” Oliver said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Careful what you say next, big brother. I’d hate to see you get struck by lightning.”

Felicity didn’t really know what to make of the sibling banter so she kept her eyes on the list, reading over everything before settling on a good glass of Cabernet. Oliver ordered a white wine instead and Thea settled with water. As soon as the waiter walked away again, Felicity felt the attention shift back to her and forced herself to remain still, not wanting Oliver to see her fidget.

“So what do you do, Felicity?” Thea asked.

“I’m not actually employed right now,” she said, folding her hands in her lap. “I worked as a freelancer in cyber security back in Vegas but I’m still exploring my options right now.”

“Wow. That sounds… smart. Aren’t you young though?”

“Thea,” Oliver said quietly.

Felicity’s eyes darted to him and she wondered why he was trying to rein in his sister. It wasn’t like she couldn’t withstand the interrogation of a teenage girl. Did he want her to keep some things under wraps? What exactly did Thea know about her older brother’s mafia dealings?

“I graduated from MIT when I was twenty,” she said, daring him to try to stop her from talking. “People sometimes second guess me because of my age but they quickly learn not to underestimate me.”

Thea looked impressed. When Felicity glanced Oliver’s way, she saw him staring at her with a strange spark of curiosity in his eyes. It was quite different from the hostility she’d seen since he learned of her true identity and Felicity definitely wasn’t sure what to do with that.

“So I take it you’re not Russian?” Thea said boldly just as Felicity took a sip of water.

She nearly choked, wiping at her chin with a napkin at the younger woman’s blunt question. That definitely answered her wonderings about what exactly Thea knew. It was a vague enough question that it wouldn’t strike too much suspicion in someone who had no idea what she was talking about but specific enough that she knew exactly what Thea was asking.

“No,” Oliver said as Felicity tried to regain the ability to speak.

He didn’t look entirely pleased that his sister had brought up the shadier side of his life. It was clearly a point of contention between them judging by the annoyed look that Thea sent him. Felicity filed that away and briefly felt guilty for it. Even though it was survival instinct, Thea seemed like a perfectly nice person, unlike her brother, and Felicity didn’t like using her to learn thing about Oliver. But it was a necessary evil in the life she was forced to live, especially now that she’d been shoved into such a precarious position by her father.

“You should get Felicity to take a look at QC’s system,” Thea said, unbothered by the dark looks that she was receiving from Oliver.

“QC? Queen Consolidated?” Felicity said.

“It’s none of your concern,” he said in a low voice.

“You heard what she said. She’s experienced in cyber security. I’m pretty sure that’s exactly the kind of person you need right now,” Thea said, shrugging at him. “Someone keeps trying to break into their system.”

Felicity looked at Oliver, who was doing a very good job of avoiding her gaze. It was tempting to ignore it entirely but something drove her to offer her help. Maybe it was simple boredom and the desire to get her hands on some tech. She hadn’t been challenged in a while.

“I don’t have anything better to do.”

His eyes snapped to hers and there was suspicion in his gaze.

“It’s not necessary,” he said.

Felicity wanted to argue with him but the waiter chose that moment to return with their drinks and take their meal orders. The tension at the table was palpable once he left and Felicity chose to distract herself by sipping at her wine and taking in her surroundings. The restaurant wasn’t packed full of people but it was crowded enough. Everyone at the tables looked as though they belonged to the same income bracket as the Queens. Felicity was pretty sure that there were a few pieces of jewelry in the room that costed more than her car. They were all the exact same kind of people that her father would dine with back home so she didn’t quite feel out of place as much as exasperated that she hadn’t really managed to escape that life at all. She would definitely rather be sitting in a Big Belly Burger chowing down on fries than awaiting a dish with a name that she could barely pronounce.

“Did Ollie tell you about the gala?” Thea said, changing the subject and pulling Felicity from her thoughts.

“Gala?” she repeated, glancing his way.

He met her eyes briefly with a sort of resigned look.

“It’s this Friday. The annual Queen charity ball. Our mom started it about twenty years back and it’s still going strong. I helped organize a lot of it this year,” Thea said proudly.

Felicity didn’t know much about Moira Queen, considering that she’d died in the same car accident as her husband a few years ago, but she knew that she’d been a pillar of the community along with Robert Queen. She was curious as to whether they were as entangled in the Russian mafia as their son but knew that any questions about it would probably go unanswered if she didn’t get shouted down first.

“That sounds amazing,” she said with a smile.

“You’re bringing her along, right?” Thea asked, looking at Oliver.

Felicity’s eyes widened and she was grateful that the question wasn’t directed at her. It gave her a strange feeling of satisfaction that he was as inconvenienced as this charade as her. His eyes darted between them several times before he nodded once and rather stiffly.

“Of course,” he said, his eyes settling on Felicity. “If she wants to go.”

Her triumph quickly faded as she gripped her wine glass just a little tighter.

“How could I refuse?” Felicity said, forcing a smile onto her face. “I love galas.”

She hated galas but apparently her lie sounded believable because Thea looked thrilled. The rest of the dinner passed with relative peace, with Felicity telling Thea a few random stories of her life in Vegas while the other girl recounted some experiences both with and without her brother. It almost felt normal by the end of it until Oliver paid the check and offered to escort Felicity out while Thea visited the bathroom. Once they were on their own, the awkwardness fell back into place and Felicity walked ahead of him out of the restaurant without caring how it looked. Unfortunately there were a few photographers lingering outside and she had to force herself not to shudder when his arm slid around her waist and his hand rested on her hip.

“So your sister knows what you do,” Felicity said quietly enough so that only he could hear her as they waited for the valet to bring her car.

“Most of it,” he said shortly.

She didn’t push him, keeping her face stubbornly turned away from the shouting paparazzi who really wanted her attention on them.

“I’m at the top of my field, you know,” Felicity said without looking at him. “It would be really smart of you to bring me in to take a look at your system.”

“And how do I know that you’re not the one who is trying to break into it?” Oliver asked.

She froze for a moment before turning to look up into his eyes, keeping a carefully blank look on her face.

“If I wanted in your system, I would already be in,” she said, her words ringing with confidence. “I don’t give a damn if you don’t trust me. Unlike you, I’m not a criminal.”

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly before he spoke again.

“Doesn’t change the fact that I don’t trust you,” Oliver said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“The feeling is mutual,” Felicity said.

He didn’t look surprised or hurt by that, leaning in to press another kiss to her cheek as the valet arrived with her car.

“The gala is black tie,” Oliver told her before pulling away, his lips brushing at her ear.

“That goes without saying,” she said, leaning into his embrace for just a moment before separating from him with a small, very fake smile on her face.

Felicity sincerely hoped that their onlookers were buying this act because she would hate to think that she was getting close to such a dangerous, offputting man for nothing. As she stepped off the curb and rounded her car, she felt his eyes on her but refused to look back, even if it did make her look bad. Let him stew in his frustrations. Felicity had better things to do than let her thoughts linger on Oliver Queen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would love to hear what you think!
> 
> tumblr - [dreamsofolicity](https://dreamsofolicity.tumblr.com/)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm making the rounds on my better fics and trying to update them all! Either my vigilante!Felicity fic is next or my pregnant!Felicity fic is next. I haven't decided yet. But I hope you like the new chapter of this one!
> 
>  
> 
> [Felicity's Outfit](https://urstyle.com/styles/1879690)

Felicity hated the twist of nerves that pulled at her stomach. There was no reason that she should feel this way. Not only was she used to events like the annual Queen charity ball, but her date was certainly no one to feel anxious about. She promised herself from the beginning that she would never let Oliver Queen get under her skin. Several gloriously peaceful days without seeing him made her think that might actually be possible. Now she sat in the lobby of her apartment building, wrapped in lace and tulle after putting far more effort into her appearance than she should have.

It wasn’t for him.

She was adamant about that. It was for the sake of the relationship they were faking. For the photographers who would be snapping photographs of them and for the deal that was made between two organized crime syndicates, pushing Oliver and Felicity together. And for Thea, whom Felicity knew put a lot of work into the gala and deserved to have everything in order, including Felicity herself. So she had her hair and makeup done by a professional and pulled out a dress she hadn’t worn before, hoping that she might manage to fly under the radar for the night.

Then she saw the limo pull up and her heart picked up its pace in her chest as she stood, taking a deep breath before moving forward. As she stepped out through the door, Felicity waved at the doorman with a small smile just as she heard the sound of a car door opening. Her head turned and as her eyes fell on Oliver as he climbed out, Felicity felt just about every curse she knew rising to the surface of her mind. Because as much as she loved to hate his arrogant ass, he looked damn good in a tuxedo.

Felicity’s eyes dropped to the ground, hiding her unwillingness to meet his eye under the guise of watching where she was stepping as she lifted the front of her dress so she wouldn’t trip over it. She didn’t get to see how Oliver’s gaze took her in slowly, from head to toe with the barest hints of appreciation rising in him. As she reached the limo, she had no choice but to look up again, meeting those stunning blue eyes and swallowing hard when she saw how intensely he was staring at her.

“Well,” Felicity said, holding her clutch tightly in both hands. “I guess you clean up nice.”

Oliver’s eyebrow rose just slightly as a smirk pulled at his lips. He knew how good he looked, the jerk.

“That makes two of us,” he said.

Before she could muster a biting response, he placed one hand on the top of the car door and used the other to gesture inside, allowing her to shift in first.

“Oh sure,” she muttered, doing her best to climb in gracefully. “Make the one in the long dress and heels climb across a whole seat while trying not to make a fool of herself. That’s chivalrous.”

“Would you rather I leave you to walk around the car?” Oliver asked with amusement laced in his voice as she collapsed on the seat.

Felicity didn’t answer, shooting him a dark look as she brushed the few loose tendrils of her hair out of her face. She knew that it probably wasn’t fair to blame him. He was nice enough to open the door for her. But knowing that he probably got a kick out of watching her struggle, it was hard not to feel a little annoyed about it.

“Miss Smoak,” a new voice acknowledged her respectfully.

Her eyes snapped up, meeting the gaze of an unfamiliar driver in the rearview mirror before nodding his way. She knew it wasn’t John Diggle from the absence of his baritone.

“Where’s your usual body man?” she asked, crossing her legs and folding her hand in her lap as they pulled away from the curb.

“He has an invite to the event,” Oliver said, sitting perfectly still next to her apart from the way his middle finger and thumb rubbed together. “He’s more friend than employee.”

“Ex-military, right?” Felicity wondered.

Oliver glanced over at her, looked confused and somewhat impressed, much to her surprise.

“How did you know?” he asked.

“I’ve seen the type,” she shrugged.

In truth, her father liked to surround himself with the best of the best, which included men from private security firms who had specialized and advanced combat training that could only come from the military. It said a lot for the level of regard he held for his only child that he didn’t bother to send any of those bodyguards with her to Starling City. Felicity sometimes had to wonder if he even cared if she lived or died. Part of her didn’t want to know the answer. Even if she despised the man, he was still her father.

The ride passed in a mostly uncomfortable silence from there, with them both watching the passing scenery until they made it to the hotel where the gala was being held. Oliver shifted in his seat as Felicity uncrossed her legs and brushed her hands over her dress, feeling nervous to the core yet again as she heard the clamor happening right outside the window. Oliver glanced her way as his hand hovered over the doorknob, the look on his face almost making it seem like he was checking on her.

Felicity nodded once, very warily, and he took it for permission, pushing the door open and stepping out of the car. As she shifted over, Felicity could see that the carpet was a plain black instead of red, lending a more sophisticated look to the event already, in her opinion. It came as no surprise that Thea Queen might just know what she was doing. Felicity had the feeling that stuff like this ran easily in their blue blood. To her surprise, Oliver’s hand appeared in her vision as she prepared to slip out of the car and, as she took it, Felicity felt determined to ignore the way her heart fluttered in her chest.

She unfolded herself carefully, letting her dress fall to the ground as Oliver led her forward without tugging, letting her set the pace. Felicity brushed her hair out of her eyes and blinked at the bright flashes that were already centered on them, taking pictures from every angle. As they stopped in the middle of the carpet, the door within sight but several feet away, Oliver’s arm slipped around her waist and Felicity’s forced herself not to shiver at the heat of his hand she felt over her hip. She took her cues from him, noticing that he didn’t smile even as he posed for the cameras until someone yelled a degrading comment about her motivations when it came to Oliver.

Her eyes snapped to the left, seeking out the face of the speaker. Oliver’s hand dropped from her waist and took hers, squeezing lightly before turning to lead her inside. Neither of them spared the press a second glance. Felicity felt like her cheeks were aflame as anger unfurled in her chest. Even if she was dating Oliver for real, it was simply insulting for someone to assume that her only motivation was his fortune. She had plenty of money at her disposal and couldn’t have given less of a shit what his last name was or how many zeroes were in his bank account.

Oliver turned towards her as soon as they stepped through the doors and moved to the side, his hand going to her chin. He lifted it gently and Felicity couldn’t do much but meet his gaze. To her utter surprise, there was a storm of conflict and fury in his eyes and she had the feeling that it wasn’t aimed at her. They stared at each other for several long, breathless moments, neither saying a word. Felicity didn’t even know why his anger struck her deep. None of this was real. Why did he even care this much? Why did she?

“We should go inside,” Felicity said quietly, breaking the spell.

Oliver’s eyes hardened to steel yet again and he nodded, releasing her chin and turning away from her. But his hand closed over hers again, lacing their fingers loosely. Felicity walked at his side towards the ballroom, ignoring the looks she could feel from all around. The moment that they stepped through the double doors, she couldn’t help but admire the beautiful yet subtle decorations around them. Thea, and whoever helped her, really outdid themselves. Felicity felt happy for the young girl even if she barely knew her.

The sharp intake of breath she heard from her date almost went unnoticed but Felicity was close enough to hear it. She looked over at Oliver and saw him staring at something. Following the direction of his gaze, her attention fell on what surprised him. A portrait positioned on a pedestal to the right. Felicity could barely make out the features of the two people in it, letting her feet carry her forward as her curiosity got the best of her. Oliver moved with her since their hands were still clasped until they were standing just a few feet away from the framed piece.

A small gold plaque on the bottom of the frame let her know who it was. Felicity’s confusion turned to understanding as she let her eyes trace over the two people responsible for bringing the man at her side into the world. Moira and Robert Queen looked just as she imagined. It was easy to see hints of Oliver in both of their faces but Thea heavily favored Moira, right down to the mole on her upper lip. Oliver’s hand tightened ever so slightly around hers and Felicity looked his way, seeing that his eyes were fixed on the portrait as well.

“Your mother was beautiful,” Felicity said, the words slipping from her mouth before she could help it.

Oliver’s eyes flitted to her, his brow furrowing slightly before he answered, nodding his head once.

“She was,” he agreed before glancing around the room. “She would have been proud of this.”

Heavy emotion weighed at his voice, making her wonder what conflict he felt over his long-since dead parents. She, more than anyone, could understand issues with family. It didn’t escape her notice that Oliver didn’t mention his father being proud as well. She had the sense that the animosity she was sensing was aimed at the late Queen patriarch.

“Oliver,” a voice broke them both out of their thoughts.

Oliver turned around first, with Felicity following soon after. The man approaching them was handsome and incredibly put together, looking as posh as his accent.

“Walter,” Oliver said, the slightest warmth taking root in his voice as he reached his free hand out to shake the other man’s. “It’s good to see you.”

“You as well,” this Walter said, smiling at Oliver before swinging his gaze to Felicity. “And who might this be?”

“Felicity Smoak,” she said politely, pulling her hand away from Oliver’s to shake his as well.

As soon as it dropped back to her side, Oliver took it again. Felicity was beginning to wonder whether it was to make sure everyone knew they went together, doubtful since she was pretty sure it was hard not to see their picture plastered over the tabloids, or if he held her hand for the comfort of knowing that someone was at his side, even if it wasn’t someone he liked.

“A family friend,” Oliver lied smoothly. “Felicity, this is Walter Steele. He’s the CFO of Starling National Bank.”

“And formerly the CEO of Queen Consolidated. Oliver and Thea are as close to family as anyone, to me. That being said, it’s lovely to meet you.”

Felicity nodded his way, echoing his sentiment.

“You’re doing a damn fine job with that company, Oliver. Your mother and father would be very proud of you,” Walter said approvingly.

Oliver’s smile tightened just slightly as his eyes betrayed just a moment of uncertainty. The look was gone as quickly as it came and Felicity had to wonder if she imagined it.

“That means a lot, thank you,” he said.

Walter nodded and bid them both goodbye, promising he wouldn’t keep them from other guests just before he drifted away. Felicity didn’t tear her eyes away from Oliver, watching as he scanned the room once, then twice. His shoulders were slightly stiff and his jaw was tight. He was on guard, for some reason. She felt like she knew why.

“Is it the attacks?” she asked.

His eyes snapped to her, a small lining forming between his eyebrows as he frowned.

“What?” Oliver said, clearly not following.

“You had a… thing… when Walter mentioned the company,” Felicity said, gesturing to his face with her hand. “And now you look like you’re close to an aneurysm. Is it the attacks on QC’s system?”

He stared at her for several long moments before nodding brusquely.

“They’ve increased in frequency,” he said simply, grabbing two glasses of champagne off of a passing tray before handing one off to her.

“Oh,” Felicity said, tilting her head to the side. “If only you had an expert in cyber security right at your fingertips. Literally.”

She held up their joined hands to show him what she meant, as if he couldn’t guess. Oliver’s eyes narrowed slightly but before he had the chance to speak, Thea flew at him out of nowhere and threw her arms around his shoulders.

“I’m so glad you’re here!” she said excitedly, pulling away to grin at him.

Her happiness was infectious. Oliver pressed a kiss to her forehead as Felicity looked on with a smile that was real for the first time that night before sipping at her drink.

“Both of you,” Thea said, reaching out to hug Felicity as well. “Everything has been smooth sailing so far but I think I’ll need my share of emotional support for the other shoe that will inevitably drop.”

“Not gonna happen,” Oliver said with a shake of his head. “You did a great job, Speedy.”

Thea flushed at the praise but rolled her eyes at the same time.

“Worst nickname ever,” she said with a shake of her head.

“I don’t know about that,” a new voice joined the fray. “I’ve had my share of terrible nicknames.”

Felicity’s eyes moved past Thea and to the ridiculously attractive couple that approached them. The man had dark hair and pale skin with a straight nose and mischievously shining eyes. The woman’s brown hair fell in soft curls around her shoulders and her eyes bore traces of sharp intelligence.

“All deserved, I’m sure,” the woman said with a smirk on her face.

“You’d be right,” Oliver said as a look of mock offense came over the dark-haired man’s face.

“Aren’t you supposed to be my best friend?” he asked Oliver.

“Teasing is in written into the contract, Tommy,” Oliver said seriously, though his hand reached out to clap Tommy on the shoulder. “Should have read the fine print.”

“Good thing I have a lawyer for that kind of thing,” Tommy said, nudging his date with his elbow as she scoffed good-naturedly.

Then her eyes fell on Felicity and flitted over her curiously before she stepped forward.

“We’re being rude,” she said, holding out her hand confidently. “I’m Laurel Lance and this one-man show over here is my fiance, Tommy Merlyn.”

“Felicity Smoak,” she introduced herself.

“The girl from the club,” Tommy realized, a grin slowly forming on his face. “Man, Ollie couldn’t keep his eyes off of you.”

Felicity’s face colored a little at the memory of that night. As Oliver stiffened slightly next to her, she felt a thread of guilt curl around her heart and squeeze it tightly, knowing that there were so many better ways she could have handled it. But then again, he could have handled the aftermath much better as well. They were both guilty of where they stood with one another now. But she could fake with the best of them, forcing a believable smile onto her face as she leaned into Oliver slightly.

“The feeling was mutual,” she said, injecting as much warmth as she could into her voice.

“It’s nice to meet you, Felicity,” Laurel said kindly.

“She’s amazing,” Thea said, putting a hand on Felicity’s shoulder. “Like a freaking genius or something. I honestly don’t know how Ollie managed to hook her.”

“Thea,” Oliver said slowly.

Felicity’s eyes darted between the siblings, seeing amusement on the face of the younger and annoyance on the face of the older. Taking another, longer sip of her champagne, Felicity let her eyes dart away only to fall on a very familiar face that she hadn’t seen in several years.

“Excuse me,” she said, pulling her hand out of Oliver’s. “I think I see someone I know.”

She turned back to Tommy and Laurel.

“It was nice to meet you,” Felicity said before swinging her gaze to Thea. “This is a beautiful event. You did a great job.”

Then she was turning away before anyone else could say a word, brushing her hand over Oliver’s upper arm without really thinking as she headed towards the face from her past. She finished off her champagne along the way, handing it off to a waiter.

“Ray?” she called out.

The man in question turned around, a smile lighting up his face as he took her in.

“Felicity Smoak, looking as good as ever,” he said, holding his arms out for a hug that she willingly stepped into. “I thought you might’ve fallen off the face of the earth.”

Felicity pulled away with a small frown.

“Why would you think that?” she asked.

“Well I just… I thought I’d hear your name everywhere. You always seemed like you were ready to take the tech world by storm but a few years have passed and I haven’t heard a thing,” Ray said, looking both worried and disappointed.

“Oh,” Felicity said, her heart sinking at his words. “Yeah, I… I’ve been busy with other… things.”

She tried to remember the girl she’d been when he knew her. The girl with a determined hope for the future that she would untangle herself from her father’s legacy and strike out on her own. Yet here she was, even more firmly entangled than before. It was a hard truth to face. Ray opened his mouth to speak but before he could, Felicity felt a presence at her side and inwardly cursed, somehow knowing that he wouldn’t just leave her alone.

“Ray Palmer,” she said through almost gritted teeth. “This is Oliver Queen. My, uh… my date.”

Oliver held his hand out, shaking Ray’s with clearly more grip than was necessary, judging by Ray’s slight grimace. Not having time for him to be an idiot, Felicity pulled his hand away from Ray and hooked their elbows, giving his arm a warning squeeze.

“The CEO of Palmer Technologies,” Oliver said knowingly.

“Guilty as charged,” Ray said with a charming smile, looking almost unfazed by Oliver’s generally intimidating presence. “I was just about to tell Felicity here that we’re experimenting with some new tech if she ever wants to come by and consult. She’s easily the smartest person I’ve ever met.”

Felicity lowered her eyes at the compliment, though she was self-aware enough to know that Ray wasn’t overstating things. Call it ego but she knew exactly how smart she was.

“And how do you and Felicity know each other?” Oliver asked with an edge still to his voice.

“We both went to MIT,” Felicity said, looking up again. “Ray was a few years ahead of me.”

“Which didn’t keep Felicity from proving me wrong about pretty much everything and improving my designs every time she got her hands on them. Palmer Tech would be lucky to have you around.”

“Stop with the recruitment speech,” Felicity said with a good-natured roll of her eyes. “Between you and Gen at S.T.A.R. Labs, you two are going to nag me to an early grave.”

“Genevieve,” Ray said, his eyes lighting up. “How is she?”

“Really good. She loves her job,” she said, happy to speak of her best friend.

“Too bad. I’d recruit her too if I could,” Ray said, shaking his head before looking Oliver’s way. “Those two used to run circles around me and Coop, which I’m sure you’ve experienced.”

Felicity didn’t have time to resent the way Oliver’s jaw clenched at Ray’s words, her blood running cold at the mention of her ex-boyfriend. Ray seemed to notice how her face paled first, worry and regret taking over his own.

“God, Felicity,” he said quietly, looking ashamed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought him up.”

“It’s okay,” she said, waving him off with a slightly shaking hand. “Cooper was a long time ago.”

“I still feel like an ass,” Ray confessed.

“Don’t,” Felicity assured him.

Though she didn’t blame him for bringing Cooper up, she suddenly felt like she wanted an out from this conversation. Ray was an old friend but now all she could do is remember evening gathered in one dorm room or another with Cooper, Ray, Genevieve, and a few other friends coming up with wild ideas about what they’d do with the future once they got their hands on it. Ray opened his mouth to say something else, most likely about Cooper, and though he didn’t notice her slight flinch, Oliver certainly seemed to.

“I see the mayor over there,” he said quietly, turning his face towards Felicity. “He’s spotted me and I don’t think I can get out of saying hello.”

Felicity turned her face, meeting his gaze and seeing something almost imploring in the depths of his eyes.

“I’ll come with you,” she said, the weight on her heart easing slightly just before she turned back to Ray. “It was great to see you again.”

“You too, Felicity,” he said warmly, looking almost relieved himself that they were escaping the awkward situation intact. “That offer stands, you know? Come to Palmer Tech anytime. We’ll have something or another for you to tinker with.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, smiling at him in return before letting Oliver guide her away.

As soon as they were a good distance away and Ray’s back was turned as he engaged in another conversation, Felicity paused in place to take a deep breath, chasing away the ghosts in her mind.

“Do you need anything?” Oliver asked, his eyes darting around the room instead of looking at her.

“No,” Felicity said, not wanting to lean on anyone, much less him. “Let’s go talk to the mayor.”

*****

A few hours later, after several more conversations with important people from city officials to CEOs and old money crones, Felicity found herself feeling more tired by the second. Sprinkled between the unfamiliar faces were more familiar ones, including Tommy and Laurel again, Thea every once in a while, and John Diggle along with his very pregnant wife, Lyla. Any wariness she felt from Diggle before was gone. He acted incredibly nice to her and it had Felicity wondering if he didn’t dislike her as much as she thought or whether he was as good an actor as the man he guarded daily.

By the time they collected themselves and walked out of the hotel ballroom, trickling towards the exit along with a few other guests, Felicity was ready to kick off her heels, take off her dress, and climb into the safe warmth of her bed. Oliver was texting with his left hand while holding hers with his right so she didn’t expect him to speak until he did, his voice aimed directly at her as if he wasn’t distracted by letting the driver know that they were ready to be picked up outside.

“Are you free tomorrow?” Oliver asked.

Felicity looked over at him, wondering briefly if he was really asking her.

“Me?” she said, continuing on before he could answer. “No, not really. I should probably go grocery shopping considering all I have in my fridge are takeout leftovers. But there’s probably not much point since I don’t cook anyway. It’ll all just sit there rotting while I order more takeout. No grocery shopping for me, on second thought. I’m free.”

Oliver’s eyes lifted, the slightest traces of amusement in them as he met her gaze. Felicity’s cheeks warmed at his look, knowing that she got much more babbly when she was nervous or tired. It was far more dangerous for her to be both.

“I was hoping that you could come by Queen Consolidated,” he suggested, looking away from her again as if he was almost uncomfortable. “Take a look at our system.”

Felicity’s thoughts halted to a stop at his words as she stared at him, trying to suss out why he would suddenly change his mind when four days ago, he didn’t trust her enough to let her within a hundred feet of his company.

“I swear if this is some testosterone battle with Ray Palmer, I’m going to use my loud voice in the middle of this lobby,” Felicity threatened.

Oliver’s eyes moved to her again, looking serious once more.

“You were good tonight,” he admitted, looking as if she was literally pulling his teeth to make him say it. “It was a little more… bearable… with someone at my side.”

Felicity blinked at him, not expecting that at all. This man was more like the one that she met at Verdant. It was difficult to reconcile him with the blazing, rough Bratva captain that she’d seen as well.

“So… that means you trust me now?” Felicity asked doubtfully.

“It means…” Oliver trailed off, looking as if he was trying to find the right words to say. “We’ll both be better off if we try to be amicable.”

She considered his words, pushing aside the intrusive thought that wondered if it went deeper than that.

“I agree,” she said warily.

Oliver looked somewhat relieved, nodding his head.

“I’ll pick you up at nine?” he asked.

“If that works for you, it works for me,” Felicity agreed.

They stared at one another for another few seconds before turning away at once. As she walked towards the exit, Oliver’s hand tugged on hers yet again, stopping her in place. Since she was ahead of him now, Felicity had to turn around to look at him quizzically.

“You really do look beautiful tonight, Felicity,” he said quietly, his words filled with sincerity.

Her eyes grew round as she became flustered, trying to think of a good response.

“And you look annoyingly hot,” is what came out of her mouth.

Felicity winced, shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath.

“My mind thinks of the worst things to say,” she muttered.

A soft laugh pulled her out of her misery and made her eyes fly open. Oliver was actually smiling. Felicity couldn’t believe it, especially when her own lips curled into a smile of her own. She knew they looked like idiots, both standing there smiling at one another, but for the first time that night, she couldn’t feel the weight of eyes on her. They simply didn’t matter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would love to hear what you think!
> 
> Felicity and Oliver certainly aren't finished being at odds but for now, they've called a small truce.
> 
> tumblr - @sunshineolicity


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